Monday, May 31, 2010

I have a fetish with the colors orange, red, and turquoise. I don't know what it is, but I can't get enough of these colors.

Sunday was a long day! Cooper was sick and that meant no church for this family. Once I got the kids settled down and watching a movie, I headed for the craft closet to see what I could find! I must say, for using only items I had on hand, I am very pleased with how this little project turned out.

I started out with a wood plaque I found at the DI a few weeks ago for .50 cents.

Fabric Flowers

Paint - Magnolia White, Marigold Souci, and Maple Sugar Tan

I painted the first coat Maple Sugar Tan, let it dry and lightly sanded.

Second coat is Margiold Souci, let it dry and lightly sanded again.

Third coat is Magnolia White, let it dry and lightly sand again.

This way, the colors all started to show through in some places.

(I would have used paint stripper, but since it was Sunday I couldn't go to the store and I had to use what I had!)

I wanted to glaze it to make it look a little more antique, so I put a bunch of screws in a plastic bag and starting hitting the wood. It made several small divots and holes in the wood, nice little nooks and crannies for the glaze to slip in to!

I used leftover glaze from our kitchen project - I LOVE THIS STUFF! We used this on our entire kitchen, tons of my craft projects and I still have lots left. It apparently lasts forever!

I brushed the glaze on and let it sit for about a minute. Then, take a damp cloth and gently wipe off the glaze. I then like to take a dry cloth (old t-shirts work great) and wipe it off a little more. It gives it a nice antique/distressed look!

After the glaze was dry, I sanded the face and edges of the wood a little more until I got the look I was going for.

I found an extra knob we had leftover from the kitchen project. Drill a hole in the wood about the same size as the screw and put the knob on.

Now, I needed something to hang from the knob.....

I found some chipboard and turquoise scrapbook paper and cut out the words "home"

used some spray adhesive and adhered the paper onto the chipboard.

I distressed the edges using distressing ink.

Attached the chipboard letters to some twine with knots and hot glue.

Make twine different lengths and tie them all together in a knot at the top.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Shortly after my little Griffin was born, I attended an expo and for the first time ever, I saw the cute carseatcanopies! I instantly fell in love and wanted one, but didn't LOVE the price tag they had. I inspected the canopy and left feeling pretty confident I could make this thing much cheaper. I had great intentions of making one and never got around to it. Griffin is now almost two and doesn't ride around in an infant carrier anymore! (THANK GOODNESS!) However, I was sad because I never had made one.

Well, today was my lucky day! A friend is getting ready to have a baby. A baby GIRL! Even more exciting. Admit it, girls are MUCH, MUCH more fun to make things for! I know you all agree. So, I thought "No time like the present!" Tara found this tutorial here for me (thank you girl!) and I tried my hand at sewing these sweet little things. I am actually not surprised at how easy they are. I added my own little "fun" things, like a ruffle around the edge, adding straps to BOTH sides making it completely reversible, and of course a flower. Because every little baby girl needs a flower or two, or three.....

I made a button whole in the bottom corner and attached a button to both sides of the flower. Then she can use either side of the canopy and have the flower on either side too! And then, when you lift up the canopy to show off your darling, there is a cute button to show off! How clever of me? Yes, I know...I am tooting my horn on this one. I am so clever!

These cupcakes are nothing special, other than they taste delicious and look so dang cute! So cute, I had a hard time taking a bite. I made the basic chocolate cake mix here and made delicious buttercream frosting. Oooohhh, my mouth is watering. I can eat frosting by the spoonful. I took the sissy way out this time and bought some premade fondant, rolled it out and cut out cute little flowers. I used food coloring to color another batch to be pink and cut out smaller flowers. Now, off to my fridge to eat one of the few I hid from the family! Shhhh...don't tell!

I have decided that shadow boxes do not receive the credit they deserve. By me....I guess. For so long, I have overlooked shadow boxes, thinking they are a little outdated and not of interest to me. My sweet mama was cleaning out her garage and gave me baskets full of craft stuff/junk that she didn't want anymore. Me, being the pack rat, had to take it. I hid them away in my craft closet and one day the light bulb went on and I decided that these little shadow boxes have nothing but potential! They just need attention and some creativity!

HOME SHADOW BOX

Supplies:

- Shadow Box

- Paint

- Scrapbook Paper

- Vinyl

- Spray Adhesive

- Flower

- Twine

- Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue

- Sandpaper

Directions:

1. Begin by measuring the box and cutting your paper to fit inside.

2. Cut out vinyl and apply to the scrapbook paper. (I use my Cricut to cut out my vinyl)

3. Paint the box and sand the edges if desired.

4. Use spray adhesive to adhere the paper to the inside of the box.

5. Arrange flowers, leaves, twine and hot glue in place.

PLAYROOM SHADOW BOX COLLAGE!

A much more simple version....just some vinyl and black paper applied to painted boxes. Orginally, I wanted to hang them on the wall. But, then I decided I liked them sitting with the extra large clips! The words in each of the boxes is exactly what happens inside this playroom....except I should make one more that says "CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!"

This project was absolutely free for me (you gotta love that). Boxes compliments of mom! I had the paper, vinyl, paint, and flowers all on hand. I LOVE when my creations do not cost much, or better yet free!

Monday, May 3, 2010

If you haven't seen the blog Knock Off Wood, then you are missing out. I recently discovered it and fell in love. Ana provided free furniture plans, the material list, the cut list, and step by step instructions on how to make it. She really targets women and tells them they can build their own furniture at a fraction of the cost, really encouraging them they can do it themselves, items that seem overwhelming and usually reserved as a man's hobby. She lives in Alaska and doesn't have access to Pottery Barn, West Elm, Land of Nod, Ikea, etc so she makes a knock off, that in my opinion, is pretty darn close, if not more awesome. Okay, enough about how much I LOVE her website.

My first project was to take her coffee table and modify it, shorten it and turn it into a piano bench. We haven't had a bench and I thought it would make a good starter project. I forgot to take photos from the beginning, but remembered in the middle. Check it out:half way done, just needs the toptrying it out to make sure it fits/workslots of sandingand staininglike my little wood shop in the garage?

sorry cars, you will have to park outside now.

DRUMROLL PLEASE........

a little darker than the piano, but my hubby insisted this was the right color, Man, I love being right!

Julie

I am a regular girl who loves to try and be creative. I am married to a one good looking police officer of a husband who makes me laugh everyday. We have three darling kids, Cooper 8, Charlee 6, and my baby Griffin just turned 2. I find joy in all the good the world has to offer!

Tara

Of course all you Gone with the Wind fans know where my name came from. I love all things Halloween (thanks Mom), brightly colored items catch my eye, love to craft-better at replicating that creating but working on this, dabbling into sewing, wanna be foodie and chef, loves to bake-especially cupcakes right now (seriously, who doesn't like cupcakes!), reading if there is ever a spare minute, good friends, and I take pleasure in hanging out with my hubby, two kiddos and extended family.